Season 12/13 - April

A history of violence... the trouble that has followed Millwall around - 13/04/2013

Source : http://www.dailymail.co.uk



Millwall's supporters have an association with violence dating back decades, with their Bushwackers hooligan firm attaining particular notoriety in the 1970s and 1980s.

This violent reputation can be traced back over a century, when in September 1906, supporters from Millwall and local rivals West Ham, both mainly dockers, fought in the stands during a Western League match.

During the mid to late 1960s, violence at football grounds became more widespread and more widely reported. In November 1965, a hand grenade was thrown from the Millwall end during a match at Brentford. Goalkeeper Chic Brodie picked it up and tossed it into his goal. Police later inspected it and found it to be a dummy grenade.

Outbreaks of fighting at Millwall matches became more commonplace, with the Football Association ordering the club to erect fences around the pitch at The Den in 1967.

In March 1978, a riot broke out during a home FA Cup quarter-final with Ipswich Town, with fighting on the terraces and an attempt to invade the pitch to get the match abandoned with Millwall 6-1 down.

In 1982, the club chairman Alan Thorne threatened to close the club because of the frequency of violence.

The most notorious night was the Kenilworth Road riot of 1985, when Millwall fans repeatedly invaded the pitch and fought pitched battles with police and Luton supporters, during an FA Cup sixth round tie. 31 arrests were made.

Although hooliganism died down during the nineties, there have been sporadic outbreaks since.
In May 2002, following defeat in a play-off semi-final against Birmingham, hundreds of hooligans rampaged through nearby streets, leading to 47 police officers and 24 police horses being injured.

As a result, then chairman Theo Paphitis introduced a membership card scheme, since restricted to high risk away matches, that is credited with vastly reducing Millwall's travelling support. It followed a turbulent season in which there were at least half a dozen separate incidents of disorder.

In October 2004, during a League Cup match against Liverpool, Millwall fans taunted their counterparts with songs making fun of the Hillsborough Disaster in 1989, leading to clashes outside the ground.

In August 2009, a Millwall supporter was stabbed outside Upton Park in fierce clashes with West Ham hooligans prior to a League Cup tie. West Ham fans invaded the pitch twice and were later fined £115,000 by the FA.

Before today, the latest incident was in January, when Millwall fans threw beer bottles at a linesman during a Cup fourth round tie with Aston Villa.

The membership scheme, linked to police intelligence databases, has helped eliminate the hooligan element from Millwall's travelling support.

For high risk matches, Millwall fans are regularly made to collect tickets from motorway service stations, meaning they can't travel by train.

Allocations have been greatly reduced and diligence is taken over who is able to buy tickets. The weight of banning orders handed down by the courts has also helped reduce the hooligan risk.


Police officers wield batons as they attempt to stop Millwall supporters fighting amongst themselves during the FA Cup semi-final against Wigan Athletic at Wembley.

England : 23 Sunderland Fans Charged With West Ham Football Violence And Banned From Tyne-Wear Derby - 13/04/2013

Source : http://tyneandwear.sky.com

23 people have been charged after a police investigation into violent disorder prior to the Sunderland v West Ham match in January.

The violence broke out at around 2.15pm on Saturday, January 12, outside Revolution Bar on Low Row in Sunderland city centre.

All those charged have been banned from the area four hours before and after all Sunderland and Newcastle home matches.

Their bail conditions also state they must remain at their home addresses between 9am and 4pm on the day of the Tyne-Wear derby, Sunday April 14.

Police have released the names of those charged, as follows:

- Bradley Dixon, 18, of Patton Road, Plains Farm, Sunderland
- Gabriel Sheil, 26, of Windwill Way, Gateshead
Derby Day - Anthony Smith, 26, of Purvis Terrace in Trimdon Station, County Durham
- Sean Herron, 18, of Hogarth Drive in Columbia, Washington
- Connor Mccoy, 20, of Perth Avenue in Jarrow, South Tyneside
- Simon Badham, 20, of Frobisher Street in Hebburn, South Tyneside
- Thomas Kelly, 18, of Eight Avenue, Chester-le-Street
- Shaun Baker, 28, of Gainsborough Square, Grindon, Sunderland
- Christopher Webb, 23, of Launceston Drive in Sunderland
- Daniel Patterson, 18, of Highbury Avenue, Springwell Village in Washington
- Paul Collins, 19, of Killingworth Drive in Sunderland
- Lewis Dodsworth, 18, or Bowburn Avenue, Wear View in Sunderland
- Kevin Bilton, 51, of Lambton Driver in Hetton-le-Hole

- Eight 16-year-old boys - three from Sunderland, two from Washington, two from Chester-le-Street and one from Spennymoor - and two 17-year-old boys - one from Sunderland and one from Chester-le-Street - have also been charged.

A 29-year-old man also arrested was released with no further action.

All 23 are due to appear at Sunderland Magistrates' Court on May 20.

A number of West Ham supporters have also been arrested in connection with the incident and they are due to answer bail in May.

Chief Superintendent Kay Blyth, Sunderland Area Commander, said: "This has been an extensive investigation and we received an excellent response from the public and there are now 23 people charged with violent disorder. They will appear at court next month but in the meantime there are strict bail conditions in place.

"This sort of incident which happened in January is unusual and as we've said previously, the vast majority of football supporters just want to enjoy the match. However, when any kind of violence takes place we will do everything possible to make sure those suspected of being involved are traced.

"We've been working hard over recent months to tackle a minority of people suspected of being involved in football disorder to ensure the safety of those attending the upcoming derby, and this work will continue right up until kick-off."

Bury FC - Oldham Athletic - 13/04/2013

Source : https://www.youtube.com

Brentford - Portsmouth FC - 13/04/2013

Source : http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Portsmouth's first game as fans-run club ends in last-gasp defeat and ugly pitch invasion

Portsmouth manager Guy Whittingham jumped to the defence of Pompey fans after a pitch invasion at Brentford on Saturday

Hundreds of visiting supporters ran onto the pitch after the final whistle and there were scuffles with police and stewards at Griffin Park.

But Whittingham insisted the fans were merely celebrating after the ownership of the club had been secured by a fans-run group after a long period in administration.

'No-one wants to see that happen but it is not done in a violent way,' he told westlondonsport.com.


'It is done because they are celebrating the club and I hope people appreciate that, because it's about the euphoria surrounding things at Portsmouth at the moment.

'The situation at the club has not been going on for the last 13 or 14 months, it's been happening for four years, and unfortunately things spilled onto pitch at the end.'

Struggling Portsmouth fell to a 3-2 defeat at Brentford after Clayton Donaldson struck with just four minutes remaining.

Newcastle United - Sunderland AFC - 14/03/2013

Source : http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Red-hot reception for Di Canio with flares thrown in ugly scenes ahead of Tyne-Wear derby... 24 hours after Wembley fan shame

A day after Millwall fans brought shame on football at Wembley, tempers were threatening to boil over between rival Newcastle and Sunderland supporters ahead of the Tyne-Wear derby at St James' Park.

A flare was launched into a crowd of Sunderland fans who were being escorted into the ground by police before Sunday's noon kick-off.

And as the Sunderland team bus arrived at the ground, it was greeted by hostile hordes of Newcastle fans.

None of that seemed to affect new Black Cats manager Paolo Di Canio, who appeared to be revelling in the atmosphere as he got off the bus and entered the ground.

The Italian had a wry smile for the Newcastle fans, who will be hoping their side can put a major dent in Sunderland's survival hopes with a win on Sunday.




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Source : http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk

Fans arrested after local derby

A total of 29 football fans have been arrested and three police officers injured after violence erupted following a derby match in Newcastle.

Missiles were thrown at police as a group of Newcastle fans tried to confront Sunderland supporters in Central Station, Newcastle, after the home side's 0-3 defeat at St James' Park.

One officer was taken to hospital for treatment, said Northumbria Police.

Chesterfield - Bradford City - Play-off - 14/04/2013

Source : https://www.youtube.com

Cyprus: Apollon Limassol - Apollon Lagoi - 14/04/2013

Source : https://www.youtube.com

AEK Athens - Panthrakikos Komotini - 12/04/2013

Source : http://www.sportdog.gr



Source: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/

AEK fans storm field, clash with police to force league game with Panthrakikos to be suspended

AEK Athens fans stormed the field after visiting Panthrakikos opened the scoring in the 87th minute, forcing the referee to suspend the Greek league game Sunday.
The referee is yet to decide whether to abandon the match, although Athens' Olympic Stadium has been evacuated.
AEK fans clashed with police officers inside and outside the stadium. Police responded with tear gas and stun grenades.
This is AEK's worst season ever with the team struggling to remain in the top division. A loss will leave it in the relegation zone with one round to play.





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Greece: OFI Creta - Atromitos - 13/04/2013

Source : https://www.youtube.com

OFI Creta supporters thrown missiles like stones, flares and firecrackers to Atromitos players who left the pitch.

PSV Eindhoven - Ajax Amsterdam - 14/04/2013

Source : dutch press

Eindhoven police have arrested a dozen of local supporters because these last ones tried ton confront them, throwing rocks in their direction.

Translation Underground Fans (c)

Marseille - Bordeaux - 12/04/2013

Source : mail

Marseille fans against managers of their team

Olympiakos - Panathinaikos - 14/04/2013

Source : http://au.news.yahoo.com + www.axortagos.gr

An hour-and-a-half before the start of that game, Olympiakos fans, Panathinaikos supporters and police clashed outside Karaiskaki Stadium.

Fire bombs and rocks were thrown at police who responded with the use of tear gas and stun grenades.

Bayern Munich - 1.FC Nürnberg - 13/04/2013

Source : http://au.news.yahoo.com + http://www.nordbayern.de

In Munich, police warned of a "new dimension of violence" after 16 officers were injured and more than 60 supporters detained before champions Bayern Munich's match against Nuremburg.

"We are shocked and disappointed about what happened before the Nuremberg game," Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told Munich newspaper AZ after the clashes between rival 'ultra' fans.

"There is no excuse for the behaviour of these ultra fans."

According to reports, a group of 400 Nuremberg fans was attacked by 120 Bayern fans en route to the stadium before the away fans then turned on police, using stones and bottles.

In all, 61 fans were detained -- 31 from Munich and 30 Nuremberg supporters -- and questioned over offences ranging from assault and resisting arrest to breach of the peace.

Weapons, including knuckle-dusters, were used in the fighting.

Brazil : Ceara - Fortaleza - Match amical - 14/04/2013

Source : http://zeenews.india.com

Two dead in Brazil football violence

Two Brazilian football fans were shot dead as violence rocked an official test event for a 2014 World Cup stadium.

According to local judge Maria Jose Bentes, more than 200 people were arrested in the northeastern city of Fortaleza over a series of incidents in the vicinity of the Castelao Stadium on Sunday.

Military police said the fatal shootings occurred during a confrontation between rival fans before the Ceara-Fortaleza match, which officially opened the venue.

Two Ceara supporters were shot in the head and died at the scene, within four kilometres of the stadium. One of the victims was identified as 30-year-old Glauber de Souza Damesceno.

A Fortaleza supporter has been arrested for suspected double homicide.

In a separate incident also before the match, a homemade grenade was let off at the city`s Lagoa bus terminal by members of the Uniformed Fortaleza Fan Club.

"The bomb was inside a snooker ball and contained several steel nails," a policeman told local media. "Fortunately nobody was hurt."

The Castelao Stadium will be one of six venues used during June`s Confederations Cup and it will also host matches in next year`s World Cup.

Sunday`s incidents are the latest in a series of violent episodes involving Brazilian football fans.

In August last year, 29-year-old Diego Martins was shot dead before a Brazilian championship match between Rio de Janeiro rivals Vasco da Gama and Flamengo.

And in February this year, 14-year-old Kevin Beltran Espada was killed by a flare allegedly let off by a Corinthians supporter during a Copa Libertadores match in Bolivia.

Twelve fans of the Brazilian club remain in custody in the city of Oruro, two of whom who have been charged with homicide.

England : Two men charged following violence at FA Cup semi-final between Millwall and Wigan - 16/04/2013

Source : http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Police have charged two men following the disorder that marred the FA Cup semi-final between Millwall and Wigan.

Officers from the Met Police made 14 arrests after violence erupted during Saturday's match, which Wigan won 2-0, at Wembley – 12 were Millwall supporters, two were Wigan fans – as part of Operation Arrowtip.

Terance Cape, 43, of South London was charged with racially aggravated behaviour under section 4 of the Public Order Act. He will appear on bail at Hendon Magistrates Court on May 1.

Richard Freedman, 53, of Cambridgeshire appeared in custody yesterday having breached bail conditions.

The Met Police are still pursuing a number of lines of inquiry and have promised there will be a 'significant post-match review', while further investigations will take place to identify those responsible for committing offences.

DCI Andy Barnes, who is in charge of the review and investigation said: ‘The violence seen at the Millwall v Wigan FA Cup fixture over the weekend is completely unacceptable. The Metropolitan Police is committed to working with its partners in bringing those responsible to justice.

'A significant investigation is now underway to identify all involved in order to bring them to justice in a swift and robust manner.'

Other arrests made included a 15-year-old boy for suspicion of ticket touting, while a 24-year-old man from South London was arrested on suspicion of theft, possession of a Class B drug and possession of an offensive weapon.

There had been pockets of disorder in and around Wembley Stadium before the main fighting took place between Millwall fans towards the end of the game. The sickening scenes, which were beamed around the world, have been widely condemned.

Cardiff City - Charlton Athletic - 16/04/2013

Source : http://uk.yahoo.com

It’s nice to see large groups of passionate football fans enjoying themselves at a game, children hoisted aloft shoulders in a thronging mass, good natured family fun, without a coke-sniffing brawler in sight.

Cardiff supporters have historically been tainted by a reputation not dissimilar to Millwall’s, thanks to the collective naughtiness of the Soul Crew and associates, trouble that has admittedly softened in recent years.

You could have been forgiven for panicking slightly by the sight of thousands streaming on to the pitch following a goalless draw at home to Charlton that saw the Bluebirds promoted. Mercifully it was all good natured fun and frolics, and why not?

Cardiff have been waiting for this for a long time. They have been waiting for 51 years, to be precise, having been relegated from what was then known as the First Division back in 1962.

Cardiff fans will have greeted Tuesday night’s promotion with relief, their Championship campaign having stalled somewhat in recent weeks, having threatened to run away with the division before Hull City and Watford started breathing down their necks.

England : 28 charged after running battles between Shrewsbury Town and Walsall fans - 15/04/2013

Source : http://www.mirror.co.uk

They have been charged with violent disorder and other offences after an inquiry into clashes between rival football supporters last year

28 football fans have been charged after running battles between rival supporters left a police officer with a broken leg.

They have been charged with violent disorder and other offences after an inquiry into clashes between rival football supporters last year.

West Mercia Police said the charges followed an extensive investigation into fighting which erupted before a League One fixture between Shrewsbury Town and Walsall last October.

A police officer suffered a broken leg while attempting to stop the disorder in Mardol, Shrewsbury.

A total of 28 men and youths from Shropshire and the West Midlands were charged after answering bail last week and will appear before magistrates in Shrewsbury on several dates, starting on April 29.

One other man is expected to be charged at a later date, police said.

Superintendent James Tozer, Shropshire’s police commander, said: “We work very closely with our partner agencies and in particular with Shrewsbury Town Football Club to prevent and reduce instances of football-related violence and disorder.

“Large-scale disorder is rare and this outbreak in Shrewsbury town centre was unusual in its scale.

“On this occasion, the significant number of arrests and charges together with any banning orders which result, will send a clear message that such behaviour will not be tolerated.”

The majority of those charged are accused of violent disorder, while others face allegations of obstructing a police officer and assault.

England : Man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after Port Vale fan is 'deliberately' run over - 15/04/2013

Source : http://www.dailymail.co.uk

A football fan has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a rival supporter was 'deliberately' driven into in a sickening hit-and-run.

Police said a 'reckless and dangerous' motorist careered into a group of Port Vale fans in broad daylight - leaving one man with serious head injuries.

Detectives are investigating whether the driver targeted the rival fans after a row in a nearby pub minutes earlier.

It is the latest incident to shame the national game during a weekend which saw Millwall fans fighting at Wembley during their semi-final with Wigan and rioting after the Tyne-Wear derby between Newcastle and Sunderland.

The incident happened outside Rochdale Railway Station at 2.45pm on Saturday as the group of friends made their way to the match between Rochdale and Port Vale.

The vehicle, which is described as a red Ford Focus, struck the Port Vale fans at the mini roundabout outside the train station and then sped off.

One man, aged 52, suffered arm and hip injuries and a 36-year-old man was left with a serious head injury.

Police have arrested a 27-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder. He has been bailed until July 14 pending further inquiries.

Both the injured Port Vale fans have since been discharged.

Police are appealing for witnesses.

Detective Inspector Dave Sinclair described the incident as 'extremely serious'.

He said: 'Officers are currently working to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, but it is believed that this is linked to an altercation that occurred earlier outside the Commercial Public House on Lower Tweedale Street in Rochdale.'

An eyewitness said: ‘Me and three mates got to Rochdale train station about 2.40pm on Saturday and ordered a taxi. While we were waiting, a red car with three men inside, which I assumed at first was a taxi, sped into the rank and drove into the Port Vale fans.

‘It was probably travelling at around 40mph. The car then sped off and the driver had a grin on his face.

‘There were a lot of police milling around whilst all of this was going on, one of them called an ambulance which arrived pretty quickly.’

England : Cops ask for help to nail footie louts - 18/04/2013

Source : http://www.thesun.co.uk

POLICE yesterday issued these images of fans they want to quiz over the violent scenes in London and Newcastle that shamed English football.

Last Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley was marred when Millwall supporters fought among themselves. Eleven people were arrested and four cops hurt.

Det Chief Insp Andy Barnes, leading a probe with the FA, said: “I would appeal for help from the public to identify any of the suspects.”

Meanwhile Northumbria Police have released CCTV stills of people they are hunting after the riots which followed the Tyne-Wear derby on Sunday.

Newcastle fans clashed with Sunderland supporters and cops after the Magpies lost 3-0.

Twenty-nine people were arrested on the day.

Chief Supt Gary Calvert said: “I’d urge people to take a good look at the images.

"Those involved are damaging the reputation of true fans and the people of Newcastle.”

Argentine Football Fans Assault Huracan Team In Changing Rooms After Cup Defeat - 19/04/2013

Source : http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk

Losing a Cup match often leads to grumbling from the stands and players can expect some verbal abuse or 'banter' as it's often referred to these days. But to be beaten up in the showers?

That's what happened to players of Argentine club, Huracan, after a training session this week.

Dozens of masked fans broke into the changing rooms the day after Huracan had been knocked out of the Copa Argentina by Godoy Cruz on penalties on Wednesday.

Coach Jose Maria said the players were confronted by 'barras bravas' [hooligans] armed with sticks whilst they were having showers after Thursday's training session.

"They hit some of the lads," Maria said. "When we left, the physical trainer's car and some others had been scratched and the tyres burst.

"There were eight other cars in that state. They also took money from players."

It looks as though the atackers were well organised as they arrived at the stadium in two buses, according to the club's president, Alejandro Nadur.

What makes it even more inexplicable is that Huracan didn't even lose to lower league opposition - Godoy Cruz are in the first division.

Scotland : Football hooligans clash in Coatbridge - 13/04/2013

Source : http://www.acadvertiser.co.uk

A section of Coatbridge town centre was closed to the public on Saturday afternoon as rival mobs of football hooligans fought a pitched battle.

A police officer in plain clothes was taken to hospital suffering from a head wound after being hit with a bottle as he tried to intervene when the casuals clashed a short distance from Sunnyside rail station.

Around 60 men were involved in the disturbance at the car park in Baird Street, with bricks, bottles and other items used as weapons.

The hooligans who attach themselves to Airdrie United and Ayr United, battled it out in what police said was a pre-arranged fight.

It is thought that so-called Section B casuals from Airdrie waited in a nearby pub for their counterparts from Ayrshire, known as Ayr Service Crew, arriving by train.

Ayr were set to play Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill while Airdrie were at home to Partick Thistle that afternoon.

Two plain clothes cops witnessed the trouble taking place and went to intervene when one of them was seriously assaulted by a thug wielding a glass bottle.

The officer was taken to Monklands Hospital for treatment where he had five stitches inserted in a head wound.

The trouble broke out at around 2pm and dozens of police, including officers from the specialist Football Coordination Unit for Scotland (FoCUS), were quickly on the scene.

Sunnyside Road was sealed off to traffic as the police tried to bring the situation under control and track down the thugs who had dispersed into surrounding streets.

Readers took to the Advertiser’s Facebook page to voice disgust at the event which shocked shoppers in the busy town centre. One woman said: “I was unfortunate to witness it while having a family lunch. Grown men using their fists, feet and bottles on one another. It wasn’t lads and it was in front of my two young children.”

There is a history of bad blood between the rival hooligan factions from Airdrie and Ayr.

In April 2002, Airdrieonians played their final match before being liquidated at Ayr United’s Somerset Park where Airdrie fans invaded the pitch and broke the crossbar in a protest aimed at Ayr’s owner at the time, Bill Barr, whose company Barr Construction had built the Excelsior Stadium and was a major creditor of the old club.

Rivals groups of casuals also fought in Airdrie town centre prior to a match in March two years ago and one supporter was arrested following a disturbance involving casuals when the teams met in October 2009.

Police made nine arrests following Saturday’s disorder, including six men from Airdrie aged 36, 32, 28, 24, 19 and 18; a 38-year-old man from Hamilton; a 39-year-old man from West Lothian; and a 32-year-old man from Maybole, South Ayrshire.

They all appeared at Airdrie Sheriff Court on Monday charged with breach of the peace and made no plea or declaration and were released on bail.

No one has yet been charged with the serious assault but police are following a definite line of enquiry.

Greece : AEK Athens to be relegated after fan violence - 19/04/2013

Source : http://nbcsports.msnbc.com

AEK Athens was condemned to relegation after Greek league officials deducted three points for violence by club fans at a match last weekend.

A disciplinary board on Friday also ruled that last Sunday's match would be awarded 3-0 to relegation rival Panthrakikos.

AEK fans stormed the pitch after it fell behind 1-0, and the game was stopped in the 88th minute.

The team was also docked two points to start next season, and fined $9,100 for the fans' use of flares and firecrackers.

AEK described the sanctions as a "premeditated crime" and said it would appeal next week.

One of Greece's three largest clubs, AEK is on the brink of financial collapse - the latest high-profile casualty in the crisis-hit country - following multiple recent indictments of current and former club officials for allegedly violating the terms of a tax settlement with the state.

The three-member disciplinary panel issued its penalties after a 12-hour meeting, rejecting a legal motion from AEK that maintained the match at Athens' Olympic Stadium was stopped without following the correct procedure.

"The match was stopped in the 88th minute after fans of the host team entered the pitch in large numbers, prompting players from both teams and match officials to rush to the dressing rooms," the panel said in a written statement.

The penalties drew an angry response from the club, who called them a product of Greece's "corrupt system."

"The disciplinary body has decided to deprive us of the right to fight for our salvation. But AEK never gives up because we have learned to fight on the playing field until the end," the club said. "We know the fans of our team will never forget this."

The points penalty confirmed AEK will finish second-to-last in the 16-team standings, with both bottom clubs relegated.

AEK has fallen to 27 points, and Panthrakikos improved to 33 and safe from the drop with one round left this weekend.

AEK fans remain bitter at league organizers for awarding the championship to Olympiakos in 2008 despite AEK finishing the season on top of the standings. Olympiakos was later awarded a match it lost that year because its rival violated transfer procedures.

On Thursday, about 200 AEK fans gathered outside the disciplinary hearing which was heavily guarded by riot police.

Caretaker coach Trianos Dellas, a key member of Greece's winning 2004 European championship squad, said before the decision was announced that he asked the league to show the team "fair treatment."

"What I asked from the committee was for just treatment," he said. "Matches should end inside the football ground, not in court."

Ecuador : Barcelona SC - El Nacional - 14/04/2013

Source : www.youtube.com

Chili : Huachipato (Chile) - Grêmio (Brazil) - Copa Libertadores - 19/04/2013

Source : http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com + http://www.cdf.cl

Large riot erupts after Copa Libertadores match in Chile

The Copa Libertadores match between Gremio of Brazil and Huachipato of Chile ended in a huge brawl on Thursday, with coaches fighting each other and players throwing punches and kicks.

The altercation began after the 1-1 draw in Talcahuano, Chile, which eliminated the hosts from the group stage and allowed Gremio to advance.

The round of 16 is set after the final group matches were played on Thursday, with last year's two finalists Corinthians of Brazil - the defending champion - and Boca Juniors of Argentina facing each other again.

The situation in Chile got out of control after Huachipato team members accused Gremio coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo of provoking them after the final whistle. Coach Jorge Pellicer and several players charged after Luxemburgo, who tried to run away but was not able to make it to the changing room in time.

The former Real Madrid coach turned around and raised his arms to try to defend himself, then slipped and fell to the ground as at least two players went after him. Luxemburgo stayed on the ground, using his feet to avoid being hit, until riot police arrived to move the Chileans away.

Huachipato team members said Luxemburgo told them to "enjoy their vacation,'' according to local media, but Luxemburgo denied saying anything along those lines or anything to provoke the opponents.

"None of this was necessary,'' Luxemburgo said. "I was talking to the officiating crew after the match and someone from their team came to me to complain. Then I saw their coach coming after me and I started trying to get away because I didn't want to get involved in anything. I was stepped on and one of their players hit me.''

Huachipato fans also apparently entered the pitch and tried to go after the Gremio players, and television images showed some of the ball boys throwing balls at the Brazilians as they tried to enter the changing room, where the altercation continued. Huachipato players also were seen kicking balls at players and at the riot police, which quickly intervened to try to protect the Brazilians.

The brawl comes just a few weeks after players from Argentine club Arsenal were briefly detained by Brazilian police following an altercation after a match against Atletico Mineiro in Belo Horizonte. The Argentine club had to pay a fine to have the players released.

England : Kidderminster Harriers FC - Stockport County - 20/04/2013

Source : http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Kidderminster Harriers match suspended after Stockport County fan invades pitch and attacks players

English football was disgraced again on Sarurday as a Kidderminster Harriers player was attacked by a Stockport County fan during a match in the Conference.

Kidderminster’s Lee Vaughan was punched by the hooligan, who had been part of a pitch invasion by travelling Stockport fans. The mob had flooded on to the pitch after seeing their side concede a goal early in the second half.

The players were taken off the field for their own safety and the match was suspended for 28 minutes as the police sought to restore order.

The violence came just a week after the FA Cup semi-final between Millwall and Wigan was overshadowed by a brawl among fans of the London club. Then, last Sunday, Newcastle fans went on the rampage in the city centre following their defeat by Sunderland.

During running battles with the police, one hooligan punched a police horse.

The police and the Football Association are studying footage of the trouble at Wembley and a similar investigation into events at Kidderminster is inevitable.

Kidderminster’s official Twitter account said Vaughan was not the only player to be attacked by Stockport fans. One message read: “Fans from Stockport end invade pitch. Punches thrown at Kidderminster players. Referee takes players off pitch.”

The BBC website’s live coverage of the match read: “Within a minute of Kidderminster scoring some Stockport fans came over the fence and Lee Vaughan was apparently punched.

"There are a number of police officers heading into the Stockport end to the ground. Hopefully the police can now restore some kind of order. It is a desperately sad sight.”

When the match resumed, the home side completed a 4-0 victory which relegated Stockport from the Conference, two years after their demotion from the Football League.